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Resale....why such a hassle??

#241
Jscriv said:
Anyone else find selling used gear to be a total pain in the patoot? Lots of insane low balls and ridiculous trade offers. It's not 2002 anymore. Or 1987 for that matter. Prices have gone up. Maybe it's just where I live, maybe there's just not much of a market. But boy is it a hassle.
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Definitely not the way it used to be. At one time, I found it pretty easy to sell guitars and basses on Ebay and get a decent price. That's not really the case anymore, besides an occasional lucky sale.

Don't know why it is, but my opinion is that a "swamped market" has a lot to do with it. There are just so many basses floating around out there from the big names to brands that nobody has ever heard of--both ultra cheap and ultra expensive. There is a perplexing glut of basses. Are there really that many bassists to sustain all of the obscure makers? It seems that every woodworker out there who has a band saw and spindle sander is now making basses. That doesn't seem like it should be a lucrative business to get into... but maybe it is.

BTW, I'm not complaining about that. It's cool that there are so many choices, BUT it can't be all that helpful for those selling used basses. And basses typically don't "die" at some point like old cars... they just keep stockpiling.
 
#242
Buyers always dictate the price of anything. You can ask the world for anything as a seller...but you're only going to get what someone is willing to pay for it. Hopefully there are more people that would pay the same price...then there's a market.

It's always tough selling anything since you're convincing people to spend money for what you are selling.

Trading is an extra special setup...it involves both sides agreeing to trade a couple items (or more, possibly with cash involved) but remember...trades go BOTH ways!!! If both parties aren't happy...it doesn't work.
 
#243
Old Garage-Bander said:
And the opposite. The Feeler.
People don't need or want to sell something, but if they can get a premium price for it they will part ways.
The fact that they say in the ad that it's a feeler really baffles me.
You might as well just say, "Hey! If you're stupid enough to pay this much, then I'm smart enough to sell."
I pass "Feeler" ads right by without so much as a glance.
Gee, just list the thing at whatever price you want without all the drama.
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Amen to that! The arrogance of sellers like that!
 
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#244
I buy most items new, and apparently get bored so I've gone through a lot of basses and amps. Most of my instruments have been in mint condition when I decided to part with them. I would usually start at around 25-30% off the price of a newer model. Most of these were in the over $1500 range too. I've usually sold most items this way, most of the time I offer free shipping. Having an account with FedEx, I think the most I've paid to ship a bass to the far coast was around $90.
What really ticks me off is having a bass listed for a decent starting price, the ad's 1 day old and you get an offer for less than half the new price for "a fast sale." WTH is that. I just listed it yesterday, it already has over 100 views, and besides, I'm never going to sell it for 35% of what I paid for it 7 months ago. I told one guy I'd rather give it away, and that's what I did with a few items, a bass and a Bergie 112 cab. Gave them to my Nephew. He was very happy for a sluggish market. And I would NEVER list anything on CL again. No one there seems to be able to read ads.
 
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#245
MikeybassS said:
In London I have always found this to be the case, like you say, way back since 2002 and before. Some of the stores, sort of understandably, are the worst culprits... I'll mention no names (shhh! The Bass Gallery).
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What people look at as ridiculous offers are often rooted in the fact that most stores don't take in things to keep. That isn't new and it's not complicated. If you want the most for a used item you'll typically need to sell it yourself to someone who doesn't plan on reselling. If you're in a hurry or don't want to do that take it to a store and get less.
:)
 
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#246
Jscriv said:
Anyone else find selling used gear to be a total pain in the patoot? Lots of insane low balls and ridiculous trade offers. It's not 2002 anymore. Or 1987 for that matter. Prices have gone up. Maybe it's just where I live, maybe there's just not much of a market. But boy is it a hassle.
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I agree, of-course everyone wants a good deal however, when you offer a good deal the buyers will kick at the tires and want a better deal. Tell them to try a Pawn Shop. Pawn Shops are the worse place to sell gear, and a good place to shop. Today selling gear is easy on Ebay but the market is competitive. Pawn Shops and Ebay both favor buyers.

Low prices? It is the Ebay effect, if you price your gear low it is likely lower on ebay. Used gear is cheaper now because of Ebay.

Ebay has squeezed retailers too, gone are the days of paying top dollar at the local music stores, they really had huge mark-ups and the price of pedals or accessories was insane. Buying a decent cord or tuner was expensive. To sell used gear at a music store meant paying a commission to the store, often 15% or 25%. Many stores wouldn't sell used gear leaving musicians with classified ads or word of mouth. To be fair running a retail store is expensive, imagine the power bill? I am not begrudging the music stores for making a profit.

I like trading gear with other musicians, it is a good alternative to taking a bath on your used items. Offer a trade, serious musicians often treat one another fairly. Ebay is a buyer's market and selling through a music store is great for convenience but you pay for it. The alternative-Trade your gear to other musicians. If you need cash then try and sell to other musicians first on musician friendly sites like this one-use the message board.
 
#247
There are lots of variables with this issue. I sometimes see ads with the asking price for a piece of used gear set too high compared to other, similar items. In that case, a seller should expect that interested people are likely to offer a lower price. "Wheeling-and-dealing" are just part of the game, like it or not.

That said, I have stopped trying to sell used gear through ads. I always did my homework, checking out similar items in other classified ads and at stores, and posted an asking price that was a good deal even before any "wheeling and dealing" took place. And I still got pennies-on-the-dollar offers. In fact, it was almost impossible to sell something without going down to 25% to 50% of my original asking price. Several times, I took an item I had tried to sell myself to a local music store and placed it on consignment. EVERY time, the store sold them for more than my original asking price.

I don't switch gear much these days, but to sell something I don't want anymore, I now take it to a local mom-and-pop store. Yeah, I pay the consignment commission, but it saves me all the calls and e-mails from people who aren't serious buyers, who say they will come by and never do, and those who offer 25% of my asking price over the phone, without even seeing the item in person.
 
#248
I was wondering how long it would take for someone to blame this all on Trump... man, get a grip, resale market has sucked for years.

TJL said:
The entire Country has had a retail reset since 2008, and nobody is making any money with corporations and businesses hiring people with no pensions or retirement plans. People are cautious and who can blame them? Now with Trump shoving his foot right up your ass and throwing a monkey wrench in World affairs, how can anyone see a future that is secure in any way, shape, or form? Why pay more for an instrument today when you make less on a gig than you did in 1975? I just got a notice from my local 47 Musician's Union pension saying they are on "critical" with eminent failure to pay benefits in 20 years. That probably translates to less than 10 years. I have been retailing used instruments for close to 40 years, and the hard and fast rule is if it is in great shape, expect to get 1/2 of what it retails for at the street price. Why do people think that they are entitled to more than that? Take it to GC and they will give to 1/4 of the original selling price or less. Maybe the next time you look at a new instrument, you will think twice about whether you are planning to keep it for life. If so, go ahead and spend away. If you think you will have to sell it before you get at least some "rental" value from it, just look for one used that has already taken the depreciation. People have figured this out, and that is exactly why you are having the trouble selling at what you consider a fair price. An item is only worth what a person will pay for it at a given time, and with the Country in the hands of a madman currently, it may be a while before anyone feels safe enough to lay out the dough.
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#249
Jscriv said:
Anyone else find selling used gear to be a total pain in the patoot? Lots of insane low balls and ridiculous trade offers. It's not 2002 anymore. Or 1987 for that matter. Prices have gone up. Maybe it's just where I live, maybe there's just not much of a market. But boy is it a hassle.
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Soon as you cross the threshold
Jscriv said:
Anyone else find selling used gear to be a total pain in the patoot? Lots of insane low balls and ridiculous trade offers. It's not 2002 anymore. Or 1987 for that matter. Prices have gone up. Maybe it's just where I live, maybe there's just not much of a market. But boy is it a hassle.
Click to expand...
 
#250
Resale value is sometimes cut in half as soon as you walk out the door of a music store when purchasing a new music item.
Jscriv said:
Anyone else find selling used gear to be a total pain in the patoot? Lots of insane low balls and ridiculous trade offers. It's not 2002 anymore. Or 1987 for that matter. Prices have gone up. Maybe it's just where I live, maybe there's just not much of a market. But boy is it a hassle.
Click to expand...
 
#251
Jscriv said:
Anyone else find selling used gear to be a total pain in the patoot? Lots of insane low balls and ridiculous trade offers. It's not 2002 anymore. Or 1987 for that matter. Prices have gone up. Maybe it's just where I live, maybe there's just not much of a market. But boy is it a hassle.
Click to expand...
You're not wrong sir. I've put out pretty straightforward ads with reasonable starting offers. Occasionally just flat out stating "$200 is as low as I can go on this." then literally getting $50-100 offers.

I think there's just a small percentage of jerks out there trying to get things for a ridiculous price. Sometimes they're dicks about it.
 
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#254
MacMiahans said:
You're not wrong sir. I've put out pretty straightforward ads with reasonable starting offers. Occasionally just flat out stating "$200 is as low as I can go on this." then literally getting $50-100 offers.

I think there's just a small percentage of jerks out there trying to get things for a ridiculous price. Sometimes they're dicks about it.
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CL is full of trolls nowadays. All out to get something for free or wayyyy below asking price as most, at least in my area, resale the item about a month down the road. There is a guy in my area that sells nothing but basses and gear. Not one of his basses go for less than a grand. His equipment are all listed at premium prices as well. He will sell a 6 space (non plastic or softbag) rack for about 120 and a plastic one at 100. Thats ten dollars less than new at the local GC.
 
#255
MacMiahans said:
You're not wrong sir. I've put out pretty straightforward ads with reasonable starting offers. Occasionally just flat out stating "$200 is as low as I can go on this." then literally getting $50-100 offers.

I think there's just a small percentage of jerks out there trying to get things for a ridiculous price. Sometimes they're dicks about it.
Click to expand...

And when you meet these jerks they act like your getting the good deal. Lol
 
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#256
Jscriv said:
Anyone else find selling used gear to be a total pain in the patoot? Lots of insane low balls and ridiculous trade offers. It's not 2002 anymore. Or 1987 for that matter. Prices have gone up. Maybe it's just where I live, maybe there's just not much of a market. But boy is it a hassle.
Click to expand...
First of put in capital letters "NO TRADES ACCEPTED" unless you are willing to consider a trade.
 
#257
Jscriv said:
Anyone else find selling used gear to be a total pain in the patoot? Lots of insane low balls and ridiculous trade offers. It's not 2002 anymore. Or 1987 for that matter. Prices have gone up. Maybe it's just where I live, maybe there's just not much of a market. But boy is it a hassle.
Click to expand...
Total Hassle...less young people playing bass/guitar...so many new good bass guitars under $1000...on eBay hundred Spectors ???
 
#259
I had to raise my price above my minimum. I was naive enough to think people would respect a bargain when they saw one! I priced lower than other matches online, stated price as firm, & still people wanted to haggle. I don't haggle; one way or the other. I'm of the simple thought that if it's worth it, I'll pay for it. That thinking isn't part of today's shoppers' lexicon. So I upped my price, left the firm price notice, & let the items go for what I intended to sell them for & have had NO complaints on any of my sales. I just had to adjust my thinking.
 

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